Tech news

Xiaomi today announced its first foldable phone, the Mi Mix Fold. The phone is also the first in the world to use Liquid Lens technology on one of its cameras. The Liquid Lens consists of transparent fluid wrapped in film. The radius of curvature of the spherical surface can be accurately changed thanks to a high-precision motor. This enables one 8 megapixel camera to serve as both a 3x optical zoom telephoto camera as well as a macro camera that can focus at a distance of 3cm. Philips first announced liquid lenses for phones in 2004, followed by Varioptic in 2006. Varioptic and partner Seiko even announced manufacturing ramp-up of two specific models of liquid lenses designed for phones in 2008. But none of these made it to shipping phones at the time. Those early designs used electric current to bend the liquid, which differs from Xiaomi's more mechanical approach. The Mi Mix Fold sports a design very similar to Samsung's Galaxy Fold and Z Fold2, with a tablet-size flexible s...

Google today announced a variety of new features for its Google Maps app. The flashiest is indoor Live View for select airports, transit stations, and malls. This augmented reality (AR) mode overlays step-by-step navigation instructions on a real-time view of your indoor surroundings via your phone's camera. The first locations supported are malls in Chicago, Long Island, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle, followed by select airports, malls, and transit stations in Tokyo and Zurich, "with more cities on the way". The feature can help you "find the nearest elevator and escalators, your gate, platform, baggage claim, check-in counters, ticket office, restrooms, ATMs and more". Google Maps is also gaining new navigation features that take into account carbon footprint. When multiple driving routes are available, it will show which route(s) are most fuel-efficient, and by how much, as a percentage. When multiple routes have approximately the ...

The US Federal Trade Commission has decided not to appeal its antitrust case against Qualcomm to the US Supreme Court, effectively ending the matter in Qualcomm's favor. The FTC sued in 2017, claiming that the way Qualcomm links the sales of baseband processors with patent licensing amounts to anticompetitive behavior and unfair business practices. Similar lawsuits have been successful in South Korea, China, and Europe, and the FTC won its case initially. However Qualcomm appealed and prevailed last year. With the FTC's decision to not go to the Supreme Court, the decision from the Court of Appeals stands. http://dlvr.it/RwhdLP

Starting this week, HBO Max will roll out newly 1,500 hours of audio described content on the web and mobile platforms. http://dlvr.it/RwcvYK

T-Mobile is deepening its ties with Google in several new areas, including committing 100% to Google's solution for rich messaging based on the RCS standard. Going forward, all Android phones sold by T-Mobile will have Google's Messages app set as the default (RCS-based) messaging experience. T-Mobile will also be carrying and promoting more Pixel devices going forward, and pushing Google One "as the preferred phone backup and cloud storage solution". T-Mobile is also abandoning its own new live-TV service in favor of YouTube TV "as T-Mobile's premium TV solution". http://dlvr.it/RwcvYG

Google recently announced the formation of the Android Ready SE Alliance, a collaboration between Google and the makers of "secure element" chips for phones and similar devices. The new initiative will enable all Android phone makers to more easily implement hardware security features that match the functionality and security of Pixel phones (which use Google's Titan M secure element chip). A secure element is discrete, tamper-resistant hardware that protects the integrity a user's data, keys, wallet, etc. The Android Ready SE Alliance has specific requirements to ensure that implementations are secure. The Alliance is also releasing specific software called SE Applets, which run on the secure element chips and implement specific features "in conjunction with corresponding Android feature releases". The first Applet is StrongBox, which simply stores and handles cryptographic keys. The next two Applets will be for digital IDs (including mobile driver's li...

NFTs are the modern gold rush. Creators of digital art, be it images, art, words, or more can sell off ownership of the creation for-in some cases-millions of dollars. The S!NG app allows users to create their own NFTs. http://dlvr.it/RwYNGh

Companies not only only track you, but also those around you, per a new academic study. http://dlvr.it/RwYNGC

In a response to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), which is investigating Apple's App Store for having too much power in the app market, the iPhone maker says that this is false thanks to web apps and browsers. http://dlvr.it/RwYNFx

Whatever you do, if you own an Android phone do not sideload an application titled System Update. This malicious app will gather every bit of information that it can. http://dlvr.it/RwVr4p

The Moto G 5G Plus is Motorola's latest mid-range phone to score an "international" Android 11 update, which makes us hopeful that the Motorola One 5G will follow suit soon. http://dlvr.it/RwVr4L

Verizon customers can now order the hot new OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro without worrying about either 4G LTE or 5G network support on the largest US carrier. http://dlvr.it/RwVr2H

Samsung has been hard at work creating partnerships to diversify their content offerings, and as of today, they will be offering a range of podcasts to the mix. According to Samsung, the selections are plenty to choose from and include networks such as This American Life, NPR and iHeartMedia. http://dlvr.it/RwS3TR

Normally available for $600 from AT&T, the beautiful 5G-enabled LG Velvet can be purchased at a massive $270 discount right now on eBay in brand-new condition. http://dlvr.it/RwS3TL

The OnePlus 9 & 9 Pro's new Hasselblad cameras will be used to capture a rare natural phenomenon next week, OnePlus has announced. The event kicks off on Monday and ends on Wednesday, the day of the OnePlus 9 Pro's launch. http://dlvr.it/RwS3RK

T-Mobile today announced that it has completed implementing the STIR/SHAKEN phone number verification technology with all major US network providers. This allows T-Mobile to authenticate that an incoming call is coming from the actual phone number displayed in Caller ID. This helps fight phone number spoofing, a common tactic used by scammers and illicit robocalls to evade identification and enforcement. The FCC has mandated that all network providers in the US implement STIR/SHAKEN on their modern (IP-based) voice networks by June 2021. http://dlvr.it/RwNN7d

The governor of Utah this week signed a law that would require all phones and tablets sold in the state to automatically block pornography. The measure won't go into effect unless five other states pass similar laws. http://dlvr.it/RwNN7Z

Qualcomm today announced the Snapdragon 780G, the company's newest high-end SoC (system-on-chip) designed to power "affordable flagship" 5G phones starting mid-2021. The 780G brings several new features to the 7 series for the first time, including triple ISP, which lets a phone capture images up to 25 megapixel from three separate cameras simultaneously, with zero shutter lag. The chip also supports camera sensors up to 192 megapixel. The 780G includes Qualcomm's FastConnect 6900 subsystem, another first for the 7 series. This means support for Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth LE Audio features like one-to-many broadcast, and Snapdragon Sound. The chip has a Hexagon 770 AI processor offering 12 TOPs AI performance, a 2x improvement over its predecessor, the 768G. The 780G includes an integrated X53 5G modem, which is similar to the X52 found in other 5G 7 series chips. The chip is made using a cutting-edge 5nm manufacturing process for maximum power efficiency. The "G" ...

Motorola's next stylus-equipped smartphone will offer 5G support thanks to the Snapdragon 480. A 48MP quad-camera setup and a 6.8-inch display are expected too. http://dlvr.it/RwJdK2

The device will likely be faster than gaming-centric smartphones, thanks to its thicker dimensions. http://dlvr.it/RwJdHT

Metro by T-Mobile customers now have access to T-Mobile Tuesdays, the rewards program that gives out freebies and special deals on a variety of products and services every Tuesday. Next week's T-Mobile Tuesdays deal is a free, season-long subscription to MLB.tv, a $130 value. T-Mobile claims that the combined annual value of T-Mobile Tuesdays deals is almost $1,000. To access the deals, Metro customers need to download the T-Mobile Tuesdays app, available for both iOS and Android. http://dlvr.it/RwJdBG

Woot is now selling the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL for as low as $120. http://dlvr.it/RwDpng

T-Mobile released its OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro pricing, but the phones also support Verizon's new 5G n48 and LTE 48 CBRS bands, what about AT&T? http://dlvr.it/RwDpnB

The latest addition to Apple’s portfolio is ‘Apple Teacher Portfolio’. It’s a new ‘badge’ for teachers, which is meant to prove their ability to teach by using Apple’s proprietary software. http://dlvr.it/RwDpmF

Apple has just been fined two million dollars by Procon-SP, Brazil's consumer protection organization, for failure to comply with local laws since the release of the iPhone 12. http://dlvr.it/Rw927N

Xiaomi’s sub-brand Poco revealed its new Poco F3 and Poco X3 Pro budget-friendly, value-driven smartphones. The Poco F3’s price will start at €349 for its 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage version and feature a Snapdragon 870 processor with 5G connectivity. The Poco X3 Pro will start at just €249 for its 6GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage version and feature a Snapdragon 860 processor. http://dlvr.it/Rw9279

Samsung Galaxy A80 users rejoice, as the South Korean company is now rolling out the long-awaited Android 11 update in Europe. http://dlvr.it/Rw926n

AT&T made some incorrect statements about California's net neutrality law on Wednesday; for example, despite AT&T's comment to the contrary, the carrier is allowed to zero-rate some streaming content as long as it follows the rules. http://dlvr.it/Rw5NpZ

Samsung's OLED panel shipment declined month-on-month in January because of the handset. The South Korean giant has penalized Apple in the past for missing purchase targets. http://dlvr.it/Rw5NpT

Facebook, Instagram's parent company, have taken it upon themselves to begin development for a children's version of the app, we find out from Buzzfeed News. It is widely known the regular Instagram app is hardly an ideal environment for young children. The minimum age to create an account is 13 years old, but kids are shrewd when it comes to figuring out how to sidestep this restriction, exposing themselves to possible dangers. http://dlvr.it/Rw5Nll

Three Facebook-owned apps are down today; Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp went down this morning and peaked at around 2 pm EDT. The trio still has problems according to DownDetector. http://dlvr.it/Rw2mTG

More and more analysts believe AT&T simply doesn't stand a chance challenging T-Mobile and Verizon in the 5G speed and availability war due largely to its limited mid-band spectrum. http://dlvr.it/Rw2mT6

We аre still аwaiting Apple's iOS 14.5 update, the highlight of which has been the ATT feature, or App Tracking Transparency. It is this update which caused a fight between Facebook and Apple well before its release; it is also this update that will give users a whole new sense of security with regards to tracking and privacy—a hot topic in today's world. http://dlvr.it/Rw2mQk

We've rounded up the best deals on phones and wearables that popped up recently to get you through the weekend shopping spree. http://dlvr.it/RvzvDq

Microsoft just rolled out an update to make Teams even more similar to Skype by bringing three new features to iPhone and iPad, as well as some other goodies for Android. http://dlvr.it/RvzvDT

TikTok user @Tanicornerstone revealed in a recent video that Apple has a secret 'surprise and delight' policy, which allows Apple Geniuses to repair your phone for free. http://dlvr.it/Rvzv9Q

As we've been long awaiting the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro launch coming on March 23rd, the phone company has been teasing us with bits and pieces of information to prepare us for the unveiling. On Monday, it seemed like we got another spec leak from OnePlus CEO Pete Lau, when he made a post to Weibo (a Chinese microblogging site). In the post he announced a 2-year manufacturer warranty for the OnePlus 9 series, after previous models came with only 12 months.  For those who caught on to Lau's post, this news seemed like ... http://dlvr.it/RvwDHq

A couple of months after announcing the Edge S in China, is gearing up to launch the smartphone in Europe as . An announcement should take place next week, but one retailer has slipped up. The Motorola Moto G100 could cost €479 in Europe As noticed by , Spanish retailer has the Moto G100 listed on its website under the phone’s corresponding model number — XT2125 — and with a price of €479. That amount presumably includes local taxes, so the official retail price may vary by around €10 depending on the European market. Nevertheless, it suggests the Moto G100 will be quite affordable, ... http://dlvr.it/RvwDGx

Foldable phones have been on the rise for the past two years now. Companies like Samsung, Motorola and Huawei have embraced the new category of devices by releasing foldable smartphones commercially. In the past, Xiaomi has also shown interest in the segment, demonstrating foldable phone concepts and filing patents for such. And while we’ve already seen an outward-folding device from Xiaomi, one similar to the Huawei Mate X, now it’s a different story. Pictures of a new prototype folding phone from Xiaomi were published on Chinese site . The device is branded as Xiaomi MIX and features ... http://dlvr.it/RvwDGD

SiriusXM and T-Mobile have announced they inked a new partnership that will provide Uncarrier's customers with an enhanced Pandora experience. Starting March 23, customers with T-Mobile Tuesdays can get free access to a special enhanced version of Pandora's classic personalized music experience featuring ad-free radio weekends through March 2022. Aside from ad-free Pandora music stations each weekend, the enhanced experience provides access to special Top Tracks music stations powered by SiriusXM, featuring songs curated from well-known channels including The Highway, Hits 1, The Heat, ... http://dlvr.it/RvrK15

Samsung today announced the Galaxy A52 5G, the update to last year's Galaxy A51 5G. Upgrades over the A51 include 120 Hz display refresh, 64 megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), IP67 water resistance, and stereo speakers. Other specs remain similar to least year's model, including 6.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, 4,500 mAh battery, 25W fast charging, quad rear cameras, 6–8 GB RAM, expandable memory, and NFC. Samsung didn't reveal US launch details, but regulatory filings indicate that a US version is planned for multiple carriers, including AT&T and T-Mobile. While the A51 5G was Samsung's most affordable 5G phone in 2020, Samsung's Galaxy A32 5G, announced in January, is likely to be the company's most affordable 5G phone in 2021. A recent FCC approval indicates Samsung is preparing to bring the A32 5G to the US market as well. The Galaxy A32 5G has a 6.5-inch HD display, 48 megapixel main camera, 8 megapixel wide camera, 5,000 mAh bat...

Motorola starting rolling out the Android 11 update to its edge+ flagship phone today. The update includes one surprise feature addition: wired video output including a full windowed mobile desktop experience. Connecting the phone to a TV or monitor automatically launches a new software experience that Motorola calls "Ready For". It focuses on four areas: In addition to Gaming and the Mobile Desktop (which supports a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse), there are also Video Chat and TV modes. The Video Chat mode lets you pick between the main camera or the 16 megapixel wide camera, and works with all major video chat services, including Zoom, Teams, and Meet. The TV mode shows a dashboard of all your favorite video streaming apps. Motorola also launched a new accessory called the Ready For dock, which makes it easy to position the phone at the best angle for video chats, and can be mounted to a tripod. http://dlvr.it/RvrJzw

Following the launch of Apple's "App Store Small Business Program" a few months ago, Google today followed suit by also halving its app store commission from 30 to 15 percent for smaller developers. Starting July 1, 2021, Google will only take 15% for all digital goods or services sold on the Google Play platform for the first $1 million. Revenues above $1 million for any given developer will continue to see a 30% commission. Apple's program differs in that businesses must apply to a special program to receive the 15% rate, and are only eligible if they earn $1 million or less in annual proceeds. Google's 15% rate applies to the first $1 million in revenue automatically, regardless of company size. http://dlvr.it/RvmR7C

Nubia today announced the global launch of the RedMagic 6, a relatively affordable gaming phone with high-end specs starting at $599. The global model will be sold unlocked in the US, but will offer only basic support for AT&T's 4G network. Although it's a 5G phone, it won't support the frequency bands used for 5G in the US. Nor will it support 4G in bands 13 and 71, crucial bands for Verizon and T-Mobile, respectively. Without support for bands 14, 29, and 30, AT&T users won't receive maximum 4G service. The RedMagic 6 is powered by Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 888 chip, and boasts an AMOLED display with 165 Hz refresh and touch sampling up to 500 Hz. Other specs include a 5,050 mAh battery, 66W fast charging, and a built-in "turbofan". The standard model comes with 12 GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage. A Pro model for an extra $100 upgrades to 16 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. Pre-orders start April 9th with full availability on April 15th. ht...

Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced plans to be more aggressive about collecting royalties for its patents related to 5G technology, including collecting up to $2.50 per 5G smartphone sold. Huawei has over 3,000 patents related to 5G, about 18% of which are essential to the 5G standard, according to intellectual property research organization GreyB. Huawei is not alone in charging royalties for patents on 5G technology. Nokia and Ericsson each already charge more than $2.50 per smartphone sold. Huawei was previously more restrained about collecting on its 5G patents while it focused on selling its own 5G equipment and devices around the world. But since the actions of the US government have crippled Huawei's smartphone business worldwide, the company seems to be focusing on new revenue streams. http://dlvr.it/RvmR3x

Google released a that support Google Play Services for Augmented Reality and by doing so leaked eleven new phones. The company often updates its list of devices that support AR services, but in its latest update the list revealed unreleased phones from Samsung, LG, Asus, Motorola, Oppo, realme, TCL and ZTE. Of course, once Google found out about the leak it removed the unreleased devices from its list. Here is a list of the leaked upcoming devices: Asus ZenFone 8 Flip LG Stylo 7Motorola Moto G100Oppo Reno 5AOppo Reno 5 Pro Plus 5G BoschRealme 8 ProSamsung A52 4GSamsung ... http://dlvr.it/RvhfRX

Tinder, OkCupid, Hinge, and Match are said to soon unveil a new feature to their products. Match Group, the owner of all these date applications, has started working with a nonprofit organization named Garbo. The latter is offering a background check on people with only a full name, or a phone number plus first name. The first application to get this new feature will be Tinder.  The new option will allow users to check whether their possible date has a criminal record of any kind. Garbo collects public records and all kinds of reports of violence and abuse. Thus said, citing Garbo, ... http://dlvr.it/RvhfQq

The is on the way, bringing , smooth displays, and improved processing power. The Chinese company has now revealed two color options: OnePlus 9 Pro's Morning Mist (a silverish hue) and the standard model's Winter Mist (a light purplish colorway).  Inspired by a bright new dawn. Meet the Morning Mist and Winter Mist on March 23.— OnePlus (@oneplus) Leaker Ishan Agarwal also appears to know about the full list of color options.  Per the tipster, ... http://dlvr.it/RvhfPj

The AirPods Max is an over-ear headphone that turns on automatically when it detects that they are over the user's ears. Each ear cushion uses memory foam to create a seal that Apple calls an important factor in creating immersive sound. The AirPods Max also borrows the Digital Crown from the Apple Watch to allow for precise volume control, to activate Siri, play or pause music tracks, and answer or end phone calls.Update your AirPods Max now in order to prevent the battery from draining , this past Tuesday Apple released firmware version 3C39 for the ... http://dlvr.it/Rvd3G3

Hasselblad has one of the best reputations in the world of photography and its cameras are used by many professionals. We already know that thanks to a partnership with Hasselblad, hopes to raise its camera game to new peaks. The first step will be to deliver more vibrant and dynamic colors and give professionals more options when it comes to post editing. According to OnePlus, "Hasselblad Camera for Mobile will also offer improved HDR video recording, as well as support for capturing 4K 120FPS and 8K 30FPS video."One of photography's biggest names is coming to OnePlus Late ... http://dlvr.it/Rvd3Fg

While Samsung didn't exactly hit it out of the park with last year's "main" or the Note 20 duo, both of which racked up somewhat underwhelming global sales numbers, the budget-friendly 5G-enabled and in many other major markets. Despite some highly publicized that the world's largest smartphone manufacturer failed to iron out on several different occasions, the quality/price ratio of the 6.5-inch handset made the Snapdragon 865 powerhouse pretty much irresistible for millions and millions of cash-strapped speed junkies. Originally available for an ... http://dlvr.it/Rvd3Bw

Since December, has forced developers of third-party apps in the App Store to include a privacy label with the listing of each app. Existing apps need to include the privacy label after an update. These labels can be found underneath the Ratings & Reviews section of an app's listing. Take for example the YouTube app. A user's Contract info and other identifiers can be used to track the user across apps and websites. Purchase data, Contact Info, User Content, Browsing History, Usage Data, Location, Contacts, Search History, Identifiers, Diagnostics, and other data can be collected and ... http://dlvr.it/RvZRD5

If you're a big Disney fan, you might have used Disney's wrist worn Magic Band as an electronic ticket giving you entry into one of the company's theme parks. The Magic Band also allows users to open their Disney hotel room, charge food and merchandise to that hotel room, and more. that sometime later this year, the entertainment giant will rollout MagicMobile service in phases starting first with the Apple iPhone and the Apple Watch. This service will allow those with one of these two mobile devices to use it instead of the MagicBand. Once MagicMobile service ... http://dlvr.it/RvZRB1